1 SYLLABUS SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY Instructor: Office Hours

SYLLABUS SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY Instructor: Office Hours: School: Location: Semester, Year: e-mail: Required Text: Allan, Kenneth. 2006. Contemporary Social and Sociological Theory. Pine Forge Press. Course Description: This is a Summer course and as such will require intensive reading for four weeks. The course will examine major works of modern sociological theorists. Students will be exposed to the major works and contributions by George. H. Mead, Herbert Blumer, Erving Goffman, Peter Blau, Talcott Parsons, Robert H. Merton, C. Wright Mills, Ralf Dahrendorf, and others. Some major themes will include Social Interaction, Social Structure, Inequality, Change, Modernity, etc. Course Objectives: Basically there is one major objective in this course: to understand the various theoretical perspectives and use them as tools of critical analysis. Additional goals include: -To acquaint students with contemporary sociological theorists and their work. -To provide a historical context within which sociological theory/ideas have developed. -To develop critical thinking and evaluation of sociological theory. -To discuss the complexity of social systems. -To teach students how to interpret and use social science data. -To analyze contemporary society and social issues through the application of sociological perspectives. Grades: Grades will be based on three non-cumulative exams (3 x 20% = 60%), a paper (20%), and class participation (10%). Grades (for tests and/or the final semester grade) will NOT be given out by email request under any circumstance. Grade Key: A = 93-100 A- = 90-92 B+ = 86-89 1 B = 83-85 B- = 80-82 C+ = 76-79 C = 73-75 C- = 70-72 D+ = 66-69 D = 60-65 F = 0-59 Tests: A total of two exams will be given. These may contain multiple choice, true or false, term identification, and essay questions. Make-ups will NOT be given except for serious reasons within one week of the original test date, after notifying me, and presenting documentation i.e. a doctor’s note (which will be verified). Paper: A detailed handout describing the assignment will be distributed within the first few days of the semester. Deadline: June 15. Reading Assignments/Topics: Please note that the following are subject to change! Week 1. Introduction. Symbolic Interactionism: Week 2. Text book chapter 1. George Herbert Mead & Herbert Blummer: Symbols, Meaning, and the Self. Week 3. Text book chapter 4. Erving Goffman: Performing the Self / The Presenting of Self in Everyday Life. Week 4. First Exam Functionalism: Week 5. Handout A. Talcott Parsons and Robert H. Merton: Excerpts from Sociological Theory and Modern Society / Social Theory and Social Structure. Week 6. Text book chapter 6. Peter M. Blau: Social and Population Structures. 2 Week 7. Text book chapter 8. Pierre Bourdieu: The Replication of Class. Week 8. Second Exam Conflict Theory, Modernity, and Change: Week 7. Handout B. C. Wright Mills and R. Dahrendorf: The Power Elite / Class and Class Conflict in Industrial Society. Week 8. Text book chapter 9. Immanuel Wallerstein: Global Capitalism and the Decline of American Hegemony. Week 9. Text book chapter 11. Jurgen Habermas: Modernity and Reason. Week 10. Third Exam 3.

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Contemporary Social Theory
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